);

Snoop Dogg Sued

Rapper Snoop Dogg is being sued for $22 million by a former fan who was allegedly beaten by the rapper’s entourage after jumping onstage at a May 2005 concert in Seattle.Richard Monroe II, a 25-year-old resident of Kent, Washington filed the suit in a Los Angeles court on April 12, seeking punitive and compensatory damages. Monroe claimed that he was “ruthlessly … dragged, kicked, punched, jumped and otherwise severely beaten” at a concert at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington.”Monroe did nothing suggestive of hostility and nothing whatsoever to provoke the violent response that ensued,” the suit read. “Bodyguards thereafter grabbed Monroe and attacked him by striking him with fists and kicks for approximately 35 seconds.” The suit went on to state that the attacks continued even after Monroe was “beaten unconscious.”The fan’s humiliation continued, said the claim, when the rappers poured “orange cups of liquid” on his body while performing the song ‘Gin and Juice.’ Monroe’s court papers also claimed that the assailants stole his earrings, rings, watch, cell phone and wallet after the attack. Also named in the suit were rappers Soopafly, who was allegedly caught on tape hitting Monroe and The Game, who was said to have been encouraging the beating. Although Snoop was not named as one of the attackers, he is being blamed for allowing the assault to take place. The rapper was also accused of having bodyguards present that were “unqualified to be security agents,” who were said to have participated in the beating.Snoop Dogg’s publicist, Meredith O’Sullivan, told MTV news that “any person who jumps onstage at a concert has to be interpreted as a security threat and an immediate risk to both the performers onstage as well as the fans in the audience. Once a breach of security has been made, authorities are forced to take the proper measures to ensure safety.” In a statement to the Daily News, Sullivan explained the need for the body guards to be onstage. "In December 2004, a fan jumped onstage at a rock concert in Columbus, Ohio, and shot and killed a band member and three others,” she said. “This attempt to parlay criminal conduct into a financial windfall is a blatant abuse of the legal system.”After the incident, Monroe was taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated for bruised ribs, a broken nose, a busted lip and black eyes. Although the incident took place in Washington, the suit has been filed in Los Angeles because that is where the rapper’s home and business are based. The case’s preliminary hearing has been set for July 31.